Medtronic announces U.S. launch of Infinity OCT System

System is Fully Integrated with Medtronic's Market-Leading Imaging and Navigation Technology to Transform Posterior Cervical Spine Surgery

Medtronic plc today announced the U.S. launch of the Infinity Occipitocervical-Upper Thoracic (OCT) System designed to simplify posterior cervical spine surgery. The Infinity OCT System is a complete procedural solution that integrates navigation and biologics with Medtronic's comprehensive devices and instrumentation to create efficiency in fusion procedure workflows for the upper back and neck. The announcement was made during the North American Spine Society meeting taking place from September 26th - 29th in Los Angeles where Medtronic is exhibiting at Booth #1201.

Infinity(TM) Occipitocervical-Upper Thoracic (OCT) System

"For more than 35 years, Medtronic has partnered with leading spine surgeons to advance new technologies with the goal of improving patient outcomes," said Doug King, senior vice president and president of the Medtronic's Spine division, which is part of the Restorative Therapies Group. "We engineered every component of the Infinity OCT System to perform efficiently during the most complex spine procedures, as well as to integrate seamlessly with our market-leading imaging and navigation technologies."

The Infinity OCT System is used to immobilize and stabilize the spine while it fuses. The system features several innovative components - including a multi-axial screw with 60 degrees of angulation in any direction, a set screw (locking cap) with a quick-start thread to minimize cross threading, and 3.0mm and 5.5mm diameter screws for expanded patient demographics and clinical applications. The system has a full spectrum of implant materials and sizes - and when paired with the O-arm Imaging System and StealthStation Navigation System - provides a fully-enabled procedural solution designed to bring efficiency and simplicity to even the most complex posterior cervical procedures.

The Infinity OCT System is indicated for certain conditions including degenerative disc disease, instability or deformity, tumors, and traumatic spinal fractures or traumatic dislocations. Spine trauma can sometimes result in a spinal cord injury. September is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month and according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, the 2016 annual incidence of spinal cord injuries in the U.S. was approximately 54 cases per million people, or about 17,000 cases per year.

"Some of our posterior cervical patients arrive in critical condition and their lives depend on our surgical skills and the performance of the tools we use to treat them," said Dr. Greg Trost, neurosurgeon at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, Wisconsin. "With Infinity, I can focus on delivering the best patient care during complex procedures knowing that every component was precisely-designed with modularity and versatility in mind. And an integrated procedural solution with Stealth navigation and Infinity was game-changing as a 3D-view of the anatomy allows me the precision to place pedicle screws with confidence and accuracy."

The Infinity OCT System is now available in the U.S. The system will be released in geographies around the world in 2018 and 2019.